Thursday, November 19, 2015

About 10 years ago my kids and I and my sister and her
daughter went to southern Missouri, where our parents retired, for
Thanksgiving. My other sister and her husband, from Canada, were there too.
It’s the one time a year we’re all together.

From the beginning, the trip seemed jinxed. Cody and Morgan
and I drove to southern Nebraska to pick up Becky and Logan, and we got a flat
tire on the way. In the dark. On a cold, cold night.

We got to Kansas City at rush hour time, and somehow ended
up going through KC instead of around it (sidenote: in all the years mom and
dad have lived in Missouri, I think there has been ONE TIME I’ve gotten AROUND
Kansas City…the rest of the trips I’ve somehow managed to go through part or
all of it!) The low fuel light was on…and we were stuck in construction.

We stopped at the first gas station we came to and my
sister’s comment, after we got on the road again, was “Let’s stop at a prison next time…the restroom would probably be
cleaner than that one!”

Within hours of getting to mom and dad’s, Cody complained of
a stomach ache and started vomiting. The next day dad took us for a ride in his
boat and on the way back to their home Morgan threw up…in the back of their
car…that they’d just started leasing. There’s not one picture of us all
together that Thanksgiving because either Cody or Morgan were sick in bed the
whole three days we were there.

Early in the morning of the day after Thanksgiving, Becky
woke me up. “Logan isn’t feeling good. I
think we should leave so we get home before you and I get sick…or we could be
here for a long time.” (Mom and dad and my sister Deb and her husband Steve
were glad we left...as we drove out they were throwing open the windows to air
out the house, despite the temperature being in the low 30’s.) We loaded up the
green-faced kids, mom gave us an armload of towels, and we started the 400 mile
drive home.

We stopped 8 times in the first two hours, in a few parking
lots…gas stations…and at least once on the side of the road. It was very long
trip.

Give thanks in ALL
circumstances Lord? What could I possibly be thankful for about that Thanksgiving
trip?

As it turns out, many things. We were able to coast into
town on the flat tire, and it only took AAA a little while to get there and
change the tire. We didn’t run out of fuel in the middle of construction in
downtown Kansas City. I hope I’ve been in have been in the filthiest
gas-station restroom that I will ever be in. Although there’s not a picture of
all of us together that Thanksgiving, we were
all together! Becky and I didn’t get
sick until we were home…and dad (who had to preach in church that Sunday)
didn’t get sick at all.

Of course, our circumstances on that trip were very minor
compared to many things people face every day—a terminal diagnosis, the
sickness of a child, the break-up of a marriage, loss of a job. But God’s
command is the same: Give thanks in all
circumstances.

What can we give thanks for
during trying, terrible times? If nothing else, our faith. And we can be
thankful for Jesus and His death that gave us life. Nothing, and no one, no
circumstance, can take away our salvation. No matter what the outcome of
anything you are going through, you are not alone. The Lord is with you. And
believers will be with Him, for eternity. And that is something to be thankful for!

Jesus said, “I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

John 14:6

Chances are, if you’re
reading the Nebraska Family Times,
you know that Jesus is the only way to eternal life--heaven. Many people,
however—even so-called believers—do not believe this. Some believe that “it doesn’t really matter who I believe in—Mohammad, for example—or
what I believe, as long as I really and truly believe it, I’ll get to heaven.”

Others believe in
Jesus, but only believe that He was a “good
man” or that He “didn’t really die
and come back to life.”

Others believe that
Jesus is part of the way to heaven…but to get there they must also be a ”good enough” person or pray “enough” of the right prayers
or give “enough” money to the church or to charities.

In the verse above,
Jesus does not say that He is “part of the way” to heaven, or “one of the ways”
to get to heaven. He is very clear that He is the way to the Father, to
God, to eternal life. Jesus does not say he is “part of the truth” or “one of
the truths”; He says that He is the truth.

Do the people you love
and care about know this? Are you sure?
If not (or even if you know they know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the
life), invite them to one of the many church services that will be held this
Christmas season. It’s easy—simply say, “Would
you like to go to church with me Christmas Eve? Our church has a beautiful
service—I just love singing the Christmas songs”, or “The choir concert at our church is wonderful—would you like to go with
me?” or “I love starting Christmas
Day celebrating the real reason—Jesus’ birth—and then continuing the
celebration with family and our special dinner. Would you like to come with me
to church?”

What
better gift could you give someone than to introduce them to the eternal truth?

Shelly is the editor and publisher of the Nebraska Family Times. Read
more at www.nebraskafamilytimes.blogspot.com. If you would like to receive FREE Scripture Memory Cards, email shellyburkern@gmail.com.

I'm taking part in the Blogging A to Z Challenge!

Follow by Email

About the Nebraska Family Times

The Nebraska Family Times is a monthly pro-family, pro-life newspaper. We cover local, state, and national news and events from a Christian point of view. We feature articles by local and nationally known authors, who write about topics ranging from home organization to family life to spiritual life. The Nebraska Family Times also features book and CD reviews as well as news about upcoming Christian events.
For a FREE sample issue of the Nebraska Family Times, e-maail shelly@shellyburke.net

Facebook Badge

Editor Shelly Burke and her kids, Cody and Morgan

I'm blogging the A to Z Challenge!

I'm also blogging at "Home is Where the Mom Is; A Christian Mom's Guide"

There was an error in this gadget

"Nebraska Family Times" Faith Statement and Mission Statement

Faith Statement

We believe in the Triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in one. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, given by God without error. God the Holy Spirit inspired His chosen writers to write the different books of the Bible. We believe that Jesus came to earth as true God and true man, suffered and died for our sins and rose again, ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God. We believe that we have forgiveness of sins and salvation through the Holy Spirit, Who creates faith in us. We are saved only by Grace--God's undeserved love for us--not by anything we can do. Because we are saved we will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord! As Christians, we are given the Great Commission of bringing others to know God's truth so that they, too, may receive salvation and live eternally in heaven.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Nebraska Family Times is to inspire, encourage and motivate readers in their Christian walk.

We inspire readers to share their faith within their sphere of influence—family, congregation, workplace, and ultimately, the world.

We encourage readers as they go through the ups and downs of Christian life, the good times and the difficult times.

We motivate readers to deepen their own personal faith and integrate Christian values into every aspect of their lives.

From a wide range of unique sources we choose articles that reflect the Christian faith. Articles are written by local, state and nationally known authors and cover a wide range of topics including Bible study, personal and family devotions, news from a Christian point of view, and all aspects of Christian living.

Our goal is to print articles that will make readers take action in some way—whether to strengthen their faith, share a message with others, or think about something in a new way.